Toyota Drives Mobility, Sustainability for Indiana Affordable Housing Community
PLANO, Texas, Aug. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In keeping with their dedication to promote mobility and support communities, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) and Toyota Financial Services (TFS) have partnered with Indianapolis-based real-estate development firm Black and White Investments (BWI) to provide fully integrated, eco-friendly personal carsharing services to the residents of the newly opened Posterity Scholar House (PSH) in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Residents can reserve Toyota plug-in hybrid electric vehicles online via Toyota's personal carshare mobile app, SI Share, offering access to transportation without the costs of owning and maintaining a personal vehicle. Additionally, Toyota is working with project partners to explore electrification concepts to further benefit the property's residents and neighboring community.
First of its kind in the state of Indiana, PSH is a sustainable urban revitalization initiative and net-zero energy housing solution. The 44-unit apartment community provides affordable housing that increases quality of life while decreasing the total cost of living for low- to middle-income individuals (specifically, single parents enrolled in school) and families by focusing on utility, transportation and rental costs. The energy-efficient property features state-of-the-art technology, as well as an ecological and comprehensive education center of community-based programs and services, including the Toyota carshare program.
The carshare pool currently consists of four Prius Prime plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and is managed by Toyota's Strategic Innovation Lab, which also handles vehicle insurance and maintenance. Toyota is working with PSH developer and property manager, BWI, and project collaborator Energy Systems Network (ESN) to install electric charging stations for those vehicles (each powered by the property's 287KW solar array). The company will continue to assess the priorities of the PSH project, as well as the needs of its residents, as it considers the addition of other vehicle types in the future.
"Toyota's carsharing program is ideally suited for a community like this, where some residents may not have their own cars," said Stacey Miller, national manager, TFS Strategic Innovation. "We are pleased to not only help provide access to transportation, but to contribute in an eco-friendly way. These plug-in hybrid vehicles will enable Posterity Scholar House residents to easily travel anywhere within the Fort Wayne city limits and return home with plenty of charge remaining."
To make the vehicle charging experience as easy and streamlined as possible, Toyota is simplifying the process for carshare users renting a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle for a short period of time and is hoping to soon provide open access to all public charging networks through an "electric charging pass" that consolidates public charging costs into a single bill.
Toyota is also contributing to PSH's energy efficiency by managing the charging times of each plug-in hybrid vehicle individually, in order to minimize the electricity demand at PSH while ensuring each vehicle is fully charged when needed to fulfill the transportation needs of the residents.
"The Posterity Scholar House is improving the quality of life for so many residents through a commitment to providing affordable and sustainable housing and transportation options," said Paul Mitchell, president and CEO of Energy Systems Network. "The technology innovations are serving as a model for future developments throughout Indiana that will positively impact many more lives."
For more information, please visit www.strategicinnovationshare.com/scholarhouse.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands plus our 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 47,000 in North America. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021.
Through its Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
About Toyota Financial Services
Toyota Financial Services (TFS) is the finance and insurance brand for Toyota in the United States, offering retail auto financing and leasing through Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (TMCC) and Toyota Lease Trust. TFS also offers vehicle and payment protection products through Toyota Motor Insurance Services (TMIS). The company services Lexus dealers and customers using the Lexus Financial Services brand. As of March 31, 2021, TFS employed approximately 3,600 team members nationwide, and had assets totaling over
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America
